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Sound:
This guitar sounds like a strat is supposed to sound. everything resonates well, the sounds are bright and crisp. You can go from country twang all the way to creamy overdrive tones with a flip of the switch. the pickups hum a little, but i'll take that to have alnico pickups. It amazes me when people complain about pickup hum, because all of our favorite "classic" songs recorded by artists using single coils were recorded on pickups that hum. the hum is the vintage sound we long for. Also let me throw in that the pickups really work well together. They blend well, and if you are a person who likes to change pickups in the middle of a song for expression purposes, this guitar would sound great for that.
My signal chain is as follows: strat - fulltone fulldrive 2 (older version with comp cut) - keeley bluesdriver - danelectro transparent overdrive (the best overdrive deal available) - danelectro cool cat chorus (9v) - Boss dd-5 - jim dunlop tvp-1 (trem/volume) - boss tuner - blackheart little giant with a weber blue dog 12" speaker mic'ed with a audix i-5. This setup allows me to push my amp, but not blow out the room when i play.
Feature:
feature wise, the guitar gets a 9, but the fact that it comes with a gag bag, i mean gig bag, knocks it down to a 7. The vintage tuners work well if you know how to use them (mine are holding tune great!). The trem works just fine (of course i'm usually a hardtail kinda guy, so take that fwiw). the pickups sound good, and at least it includes some sort of protection (even if it is a gagbag).
Ease of Use:
It's a guitar. It SHOULD take you some time to get the tones you want from it, but once you find the tones you like it is a harmonious symphony at your fingertips. I especially like positions 2 and 4 with the middle pickup tone rolled almost all the way off.
Quality:
it's made pretty well. The finish on mine had a couple small dips, and the neck had some small scratching, but nothing major since i'll probably sand the neck down a little anyway. the biggest frustration on it, however, is the fact that a couple of frets are rough on the ends, but a quick file should take care of that as well. I'm not worrying about the guitar "lasting" any amount of time. I take care of my stuff and it lasts. I gig every weekend, and haven't lost one yet.
Value:
it's probably a little overpriced (especially considering the recent fender price increase), but what isn't anymore.
Manufacturer Support:
haven't needed it, but hopefully zzounds will be good, and fender will be great.
The Wow Factor:
it's foam green (yeah baby), and it has a tinted maple neck. What's not to love there. The aged (read beige) pickup covers and knobs are really ugly in person though, and they will be among the first things to go from this guitar. Also it is begging me to buy it a pearloid pickguard and I think I must oblige. I do wish the metal on it was aged nickel, but hey, I can do that myself as I upgrade one component at a time. Also the neck needs to be slightly larger (but if you have female hands it might be perfect...my wife loves it)
Overall:
This guitar is very good overall. It's not perfect, but no one expects perfection out of an $800 guitar. I do not plan on replacing it at this time, however I am planning several upgrades to it. That is why I bought it. I will probably, over time, end up changing all of the hardware on the guitar with aged pieces. It is highly likely that I will rewire it (i really want the tone controls to only affect the neck and bridge pickups, the middle one can stay wide open all the time). When I rewire it, I will probably change out the tone pots, and even put in a push/pull pot so I can have the neck/bridge combination. I may even go nuts someday and change the pickups (but right now I really dig them so maybe not), but I bought this guitar to last a long time, and I expect it to be my main guitar for quite some time. If it were lost or stolen I would definitely look for another one like this, but I would also compare it to the Classic Player 50s strat because that one has a larger v neck. I would compare the two and then make my decision, but barring any unforseen circumstances this one will last me many good years.
9 of 12 people
(75%) found this review helpful. Did you?
Sound:
good sound for classic rock and blues. It is also a pretty good metal guitar. The most versitile guitar ive ever played.
Feature:
It has everything you need. The only down side on this guitar is i'd like more than 21 frets but oh well if its this good i dont really care
Ease of Use:
The fretboard is like butter the BEST fretboard.
Quality:
Its built like a rock mines taken a couple spills from traveling and it hasnt put a scratch on it. The pickups are amazing. The aged parts look cool too.
Value:
THIS IS THE BEST GUITAR FOR UNDER $1000 bucks. In my opinion it can only be beat by an american strat
Manufacturer Support:
It has a lifetime warranty but ive never had the slightest problem with it.
The Wow Factor:
It looks awesome the finish is impeccable. The aged parts look great too.
Overall:
Its all i need everything else seems dull in comparison
2 of 4 people
(50%) found this review helpful. Did you?
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Sound:
The guitar has a great sound....especailly great for barre chords!
Feature:
Tremelo is nice.
Quality:
Great quality...I dropped it and not a single blemish occured.
Value:
Great for the price.
Manufacturer Support:
Haven't dealt w/ Fender yet but I hear great things.
The Wow Factor:
Nothing like the Surf Green!
Overall:
I will be satisfied forever! Great Guitar.
3 of 6 people
(50%) found this review helpful. Did you?
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Sound:
It's a Strat...and though it's a MIM, I'd put it up against any American Strat out there. Awesome guitar.
Feature:
It has the 5 position switch, which gives you tones of tone.
Ease of Use:
I love a maple neck. I'm going to buy a '52 Tele reissue because it's a Tele, and it has the maple neck. So slick...so fast.
Quality:
No problems at all with this guitar. Rock solid.
Value:
For the $600+ I paid for it...it's a steal.
Manufacturer Support:
Haven't had to use them. But I'll give them the benefit of the doubt as I've heard great things about Fender.
The Wow Factor:
It's surf green...it sounds great...and that maple neck is fabulous...very shagadelic, baby...yeah.
Overall:
Great guitar, especially for the price. Can't see myself being without a great Strat in the arsenal, and this one fits the bill. Mine doesn't have the whammy bar...but who cares really? No biggie.
1 of 3 people
(33.33%) found this review helpful. Did you?
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Sound:
I don't know I didn't plug it in.
Feature:
It really needs to come with a hard case for the price.
Ease of Use:
IDK
Quality:
I was so looking forward to this guitar. I did all the research and was waiting anxiously for it. I feel the quality of this guitar is a big let down and I'm surprised Fender would let this out of their shop,even in Mexico. Around the neck pocket not only is it sloppy with large gaps on both sides there are actually globs of touch up paint around the neck pocket as well. I couldn't believe it. For 700 dollars this was completely unacceptable. I can get an American Hwy 1 for that price and with a little more I can get an Am Standard. I took out my two American Strats and set it next the the Mexico 50's classic and the neck pockets were tight not sloppy. I've had this guitar for one hour and it's already back in the box. I tried to tune it and the tremolo starting raising off the body and wouldn't hold a tune. I never even plugged it in. That being said I'm calling ZZounds tomorrow to have them send me a replacement and I'm hoping this was just a fluke. Why? Because I did like the neck felt in my hands.
Value:
I do feel the price is steep for what you get.
Manufacturer Support:
none
1 of 3 people
(33.33%) found this review helpful. Did you?
Sound:
LEAVE IT AS IT IS IT HAS THE SOUND THAT IT WAS DESIGNED TO HAVE
YOU WILL ONLY GET BETTER IF YOU HAVE THE REAL THING WHICH I HAVE.
A 1957 LAKE PLACID BLUE L/SERIES AND IT STILL SOUNDS GREAT.THE GUITAR IS ALMOST AS OLD AS ME BUT STILL HAS IT'S GREAT LOOKS.
THE REISSUE SERIES ARE WELL MADE GUITARS THAT YOU CAN BUY WITH
CONFERDANCE
Feature:
I WOULD'NT CHANGE ANY FEATURES OR ADD ANYTHING TO THIS GUITAR
Quality:
MOST THESE MODALS I FOUND TO BE MADE WELL SOME MEX. MODELS ARE BETTER THAN THE U.S. MODELS, THEY LAST AND THAT IS GOOD MY 57 STILL LOOKS NEW (WELL FADED A BIT)BUT STILL RELIABLE
I STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL PICKPS IN MY 57 AS A MATTER OF FACT I CAN ONLY REMEMBER REPLACING THE TONE POTS.
Value:
YES
Manufacturer Support:
I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH ANY OF MY FENDER GUITARS OVER THE YEARS BECAUSE I ALWAYS BUY THE BEST MODELS
MAYBE THE ODD ONE HARD TO TUNE RIGHT BUT THATS ALL.
I HAVE FRIENDS WHO HAVE CHEAP JAPAN/CHINA /AND KORIAN FENDERS AND HAVE TROUBLE WITH PARTS BREAKING DOWN .
The Wow Factor:
I DON'T LUST FOR A GUITAR OR FEEL IN ANY WAY THAT IT'S SEXY
BUT IF IT.S THE RIGHT COLOR IT CAN TURN YOU ON
Overall:
UNTIL I PASS ON. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HAPPY WITH MY GUITARS
I TRYED THEM ALL BUT ALWAYS CAME BACK TO IN MY MIND THE BEST GUITAR EVER MADE
Sound:
This guitar melts in my hands.The only upgrade I did is replace the bridge pickup. I put a hot rail pickup in it. Now its like a old hotrod with whitewall tires with a big block hemi.
Feature:
It came with a gig bag and wammy bar
Ease of Use:
Very easy to get any great tone.
Quality:
Very good quality.
Value:
Best guitar for the money.
Manufacturer Support:
No
The Wow Factor:
The surf geen color is great. The neck and hardware looking aged is so cool and sexy.
Overall:
This guitar not going anywhere. I'll never sell it.I have lots of guitars and this one like no other.
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